Hub cap clip and mounting



y 6, 1952 w. A. MULHERN HUB CAP 'CLIP AND MOUNTING Filed NOV. 5, 1947 INVENTOR- M/i/Zz'am MV/Z rIZ Patented May 6, 1952 HUB CAP our AND MOUNTING William A. Mulhern, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 5, 1947, Serial No. 784,111

8 Claims.

This invention relates to hub caps for motor ve- I Various means have been provided in the past ments of other parts of the vehicle.

of such devices.

minimum expense.

on the wheel of a motor vehicle.

mum replacement cost in case of damage.

arrangement.

which:

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the hub cap clip taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the Each hub 5 for the attachment of hub caps on a vehicle wheel hub cap clip taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2. in an endeavor, not only to protect the axle or The hub cap has an inwardly extending circuthe extremities of the axle but also to dress up the lar flange which is provided with similarly spaced wheels in keeping with the streamlined" appoint apertures for receiving hub cap clips.

Certain escap clip is of a substantially U-shaped structure sentials, however, are necessary in the provision having its open ends notched to be received in the They must be obscured from apertures of the hub cap. In applying the clips view and so constructed that objectionable noises to the cap the legs of the U-shaped clips are comwill not arise as a result of their use. They must pressed, inserted into the apertures, rotated and be readily, easily and firmly attachable to the then released. After the clips are positioned wheel so that they will not move with respect to within the openings of the hub cap, the clips are the whee1 when the vehicle is in motion. Further snapped into the openings of the wheel as the hub they must be capable of being manufactured at a cap is applied to the wheel.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown a One of the principal objects of my invention is conventional motor vehicle wheel having a cento provide a hub cap and removable clip assembly tral circular portion 5 which has secured around in which the clip is independently supported on its outer surface an outwardly extending circular the hub cap for facilitating mounting the hub cap wheel rim 6. A tire l is receivable in the rim 6 and is provided with a standard air inlet 8 which Another object of my invention is to provide an extends through the aperture 9 of the rim 6. The inexpensive means for securing the hubcap to wheel portion 5 has disposed therein, in spaced the wheel of a motor vehicle, thereby facilitating, relationship, a plurality of substantially recnot only a minimum initial cost but also a minitangularly formed apertures l0 located in a circular arrangement about the center of the wheel. Another object of my invention is to provide A circular hub cap H is provided with an inon a wheel of a motor vehicle, a substantially Wardly extending circular flange H which has light hub cap assembly, since the use of the light disposed therein, in spaced relationship, a pluweight clip reduces the over-all weight of the cap. rality of substantially rectangularly formed open- Other objects of my invention are to provide a ings 13 located in a circular arrangement about hub cap and clip assembly of this type which rethe center of the hub cap. The openings l3 are quires for its attachment, that the wheel portion arranged to register with the opening Ill of the have formed therein only a plurality of spaced wheel portion 5 and adapted to receive U-shaped openings arranged in a circular path about the clips l4 for facilita g t mounting of the hub axis of rotation of the wheel and to provide hub cap on the motor vehicle wheel. cap clips of this kind which can be conveniently Each U-shaped clip l4 comprises a pair of leg assembled on a hub cap after shipment and thus portions [5 and a connecting bight portion [6, the permit shipment of the hub caps in closely nested leg portions being provided with notches I! at their free ends. The sections of the leg portions Still another object of my invention is to pro l5 adjacent the bight l6 diverge toward the free vide means for mounting a hub cap on a wheel ends of the leg portions to a location intermediate which additionally serves to secure an ornamental the length of the clip and the next adjacent secrim on the wheel by utilizing the same clips and tions of the leg portions l5 converge in a similar openings in the wheel which mount the hub cap. direction. This construction provides a vertex Other objects and advantages will become more :5 in each of the leg portions [5 which establish apparent from the following description taken in the maximum span of the clip. connection with the accompanying drawings in The distance between the inner extremities of the notches ll of each leg portion l5 of the clip Fig.1 is a side elevational view of a motor ve- I4 is a great deal less than the length of the hicle wheel and hub cap'assemblyembodying my opening [3 which is the dimension of the openinvention.

ing l3 extending in the direction of the circumference of the hub cap. The distance between the extremities of the notches I1 is only a small amount less than the width of the opening I3 which extends generally parallel to the diameter of the hub cap. The material of which the clip members M are formed is of a substantially spring-like nature, preferably comprising spring steel, and when the clip is in its normal relaxed condition the distance between the open ends of leg portions I5 is greater than either the length or width of opening I3. The widths of the open end of the legs I5 of the clip are greater than the width of the opening I3 and less than the length thereof. Therefore, in order to apply the clip I4 to the hub cap II, it must be compressed, inserted through the opening I3 while the width of the legs of the clip are arranged longitudinally of the opening I3, rotated through a 90 angle and released. Expansion of the clip I4 will force the legs I5 against the periphery of the opening I3 thereby seating the metal of the flange I2 surrounding the opening I3 in the notches I'I, substantially as shown in Fig. 2.

The apertures ID are positioned in the wheel portion 5 to align with the openings I3 of the flange I2 and are adapted to receive the closed end portion of the U-shaped clip I4. As shown in Fig. 3, when the clip I4 is inserted into the aperture I0, pressure against the verticles I5 of the leg portions I5 by the walls of the aperture I causes the clip to be compressed allowing insertion of the maximum span of the clip through the opening I!) after the clip has been inserted to the point where the verticles I have passed through the aperture ID the clip expands. This causes the clip I4 to be snapped into the aperture Is. The engagement of the converging sections of the legs I5 of the clips I4 with the edges of the aperture I 0 resiliently urges the cap and wheel together in firm contacting relationship. It should be noted, that in order that this may be accomplished, that the distance between the verticles I5, before the clip is inserted in the aperture I9, should be greater than the corresponding dimension of the aperture I0. It should also be noted that when this snapping operation takes place the open ends of the leg portions I5 are not disengaged from the opening I3 but merely slide with respect to the longitudinal edges of the opening I3 which are engaged in the notches I'I. By this snapping operation, as heretofore described, the hub cap II is securely fitted to the circular wheel portion 5. By positioning the clips I4 so that they are compressible circumferentially with respect to wheel portion 5 any radial pressure exerted upon the hub cap I I will be received by the noncompressible face of the clip I4.

By using a plurality of clips I4 uniformly spaced on the flange I2, the hub cap is tightly held against the Wheel portion 5, thereby eliminating any rattles or vibratory noises as a result of the motion of the motor vehicle. Any type of obstructions commonly encountered while driving, such as sticks and stones, will not dislodge the hub cap from the wheel since this pressure excited against the hub cap will be applied edgewise on the legs of the clips and not in a manner to compress the sides of the clip together.

ing them 90 and them merely withdrawing them from the apertures I3 in the flange of the hub cap. By using the clips I4 approximately the same amount of material is used compared to the conventional amount used for securing a hub cap to a wheel. The clips I4, however, do not use any means such as welding or nuts and bolts for securing them to the hub caps, therefore, the weight of the hub cap assembly is less as well as is the cost, not only of the initial clips, but also of any clips needed for replacement after damage resulting from collision.

It should be noted that use of a detachable hub cap clip facilitates stacking of the hub caps as well as shipment thereof. By removing the clips the caps may be neatly and compactly stacked one above the other and shipped in this fashion thereby requiring much less shipping space.

An ornamental rim I9 may be secured to the wheel portion 5 by utilizing the apertures I9. This may be accomplished by providing the rim I9 with a plurality of spaced inwardly extending flanges 20. These flanges are inserted in the apertures I0 before the clip I4 is inserted therein. After the clip has been inserted and the hub cap I I is fitted to the wheel portion 5, the periphery of the hub cap II engages the flanges 20 and holds the rim I9 substantially in position as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim:

1. In a vehicle wheel, the combination comprising a central circular wheel portion having The hub cap and clips are readily accessible a plurality of spaced apertures therein, an ornamental cap having a radially extending circular flange provided with spaced openings, said spaced openings in said flange being adapted to align with said apertures, a plurality of spring clip elements removably mounted in said openings of said flange and adapted to to be snapped into said apertures in said wheel portion, each of said clip elements comprising a contractable and expansible head portion inserted within one of said apertures of said wheel and having opposed shoulder elements engaged with correspondingly opposed boundary portions of said aperture and a pair of opposed free end portions cooperatively expansively detachably secured to said ornamentalcap.

2. In a vehicle wheel, the combination comprising a central circular wheel portion having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, an ornamental cap having a radially extending portion provided with spaced openings, said spaced openings in said portions being adapted to align with said apertures, and a plurality of spring clip elements of substantially a U-shape having a might portion and a pair of opposed leg portions, said leg portions adjacent their open ends being notched to facilitate attachment of said clip elements to said portions, said clips being adapted to be snapped into said apertures in said wheel portions.

3. In a vehicle wheel including a central circular wheel portion having a plurality of spaced apertures provided therein, an ornamental cap, a circular flange extending inwardly from the periphery of said cap having spaced rectangular openings for alignment with said apertures and a pluralityof substantially U-shaped spring clips each having a bight portion and a pair of opposed leg portions, said leg portions being provided with notches adjacent their open ends to facilitate insertion of said clips into said openings and rotation therein into a position to allow slidable engagement of said leg portions within said openings.

4. In a vehicle wheel, the combination comprising a central circular wheel portion having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, an ornamental cap having an inwardly extending circular flange provided with spaced openings, said spaced openings in said flange being adapted to align with said apertures, a plurality of spring clip elements removably mounted in said openings of said flange and adapted to be snapped into said apertures in said wheel portion, and an ornamental circular rim member disposed outwardly around said cap and having inwardly extending spaced flanges secured in said apertures by the periphery of said cap for retaining said rim on said wheel portion.

5. A device for securing a hub cap to a vehicle wheel comprising a generally U-shaped spring metal clip having co-extensive leg portions provided with shoulders for detachably securing said leg portions to said hub cap and including a contractable and expansible head portion for insertion in an aperture of said wheel, said head portion comprising a pair of forwardly converging sections of said spring metal clip for contracting said head portion during insertion thereof through said aperture and a pair of adjacent oppositely converging sections for urging said cap against said wheel by the expansive action of said head, the free ends of said leg portions being substantially planular and having notches for facilitating the attachment of said clip to said hub cap, the spread between said shoulders being greater than the spread between said planular ends of said leg portions.

6. In a vehicle wheel, the combination comprising a central circular wheel portion having a plurality of spaced apertures therein, an ornamental cap having a radially extending portion provided with spaced openings, said spaced openings in said portions being adapted to align with said apertures, and a plurality of spring clip elements removably mounted in said openings of said portions and adapted to be snapped into said apertures in said wheel portion, said clip elements comprising U-shaped spring metal strips having opposite leg portions so arranged as to position the widths of said strips approximately radially of said cap for rigidly opposing radial displacement of said cap relative to said wheel portion.

7. A device comprising first and second relatively detachable parts, said first part having an aperture therein and said second part being provided with a wall portion having a rectangular opening registrable with said aperture, and at substantially U-shaped spring clip having a bight portion and a pair of opposed leg portions, said leg portions being provided with notches adjacent their open ends to facilitate insertion of said spring clip into said opening and rotation therein into a position to allow slidable engagemerit of said leg portions within said opening.

8. A device comprising first and second relatively detachable parts, said first part having a plurality of apertures therein 'and said second part being provided with a wall portion having a plurality of rectangular openings registerable with said apertures, and a plurality of substantially U-shaped spring clips each having a bight portion and a pair of opposed leg portions, said leg portions being provided with notches adjacent their open ends to facilitate insertion of said clips into said openings and rotation therein into a position to allow slidable engagement of said leg portions within said openings.

WILLIAM A. MULHERN.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,943,261 Knutson Jan. 9, 1934 1,945,348 Farr Jan. 30, 1934 2,086,288 Van Uum July 6, 1937 2,148,160 Hollerith Feb. 21, 1939 2,173,524 Van Uum Sept. 19, 1939 2,174,087 Horn Sept. 26, 1939 2,208,878 Wiley July 23, 1940 2,279,704 Davenport Apr. 14, 1942 2,333,626 Aske Nov. 9, 1943 2.386244 Lyon Oct. 9, 1945 2,470,559 Horn May 17, 1949 

